Temptation Does not Disqualify You!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.~

Hebrews 12:1-3

What is the goal and mission of the life of a Christian?  Is it just to go to church? To read you Bible? To do good things and say kind words?
Truth be told, you don't have to be a Christian to do those things! In fact, there are many different faiths who teach on the similar and simplistic values of what we have considered to be "Christian". There are unspoken social rules that will praise your for doing what is kind and fair, and condemn you for anything less. There are even good natured Atheists who make a habit of preforming such routines in their own lives, without the help of the Holy Spirit and without the salvation of Jesus. So, when you think about it, doing good things is not the crux of the Christian's purpose. Our good deeds are not more valid than someone who is not a Christian and our temptations are not fouls that disqualify us from our faith. We have been called to live above the positives and negatives that seek to distract us from our true purpose.

Goodness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. What is good for someone doesn't mean it is good for everyone. And what was good yesterday is not guaranteed to be good today. This is how temptation enters our lives: by trying to convince us that our goodness is the standard and the measure by which God accepts me. But, according to scripture, this is far from truth. God's acceptance of me is totally based on my acceptance of Christ. When I am focused on His heart, then temptation will have no power within mine!

So, considering the scripture, how is it that we can develop our hearts to stay focused on Jesus and avoid the trap and the distraction of trying to be good? First, we must understand that focusing on Jesus doesn't mean that temptations around us will disappear. There will still be issues to face, habits to break and thoughts to battle. This is not a measure of your goodness or of your Salvation. 1 John 5:11-12 tells us that our Salvation is wrapped up in God's goodness through Jesus. If we have Salvation in Christ, then we need not fear temptation. Instead, we must use perseverance, just as Jesus persevered while He was on Earth. There were plenty of temptations, including His trial in the wilderness, when the enemy tried to tempt him (Matthew 4: 1-11). Yet in this distraction He kept His eyes on the mission- on His heavenly Father.

Hebrews 12 also brings forth another key element to staying focused: we must throw off everything that might hinder us, as well as the sins that seem to always try to get the best of us. For everyone , this will be different. Each of us struggle in different areas. My issues and temptations are different from yours. Your struggles are different from your co-workers and your co-worker's struggles will be different from their neighbors. Each of us have struggles that are uniquely specific to our own hearts and lives. Yet ALL SIN will hinder us from staying focused on Jesus and if we are not focused on Jesus, we will find ourselves drowning in temptation and ineffective for the ministry in which He has called us to complete for the Kingdom.

If goodness is the standard, then what is our need for Christ? Temptation cannot be battles by our good efforts or our positive affirmations. Jesus alone can keep us from falling, but we must keep our hearts on him! Anything that removes Christ as our priority is a hindrance to our relationship with Him, and if we are not living out our salvation in an effective manner, we are in danger of becoming a temptation for others who are watching our lives. Believers and  Non-believers are watching your life and according to this scripture, so are those Christians that have already gone before you. We are always surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses... they are cheering us on and they want us to be successful in our relationship with Christ and in our spiritual development here on earth. Even the non-believer wants to see you successful, because they are looking for something authentic. They are watching the closest because they are looking for reasons to hope and believe.

We can be "good" on our own, but there is no life change in that. Understanding that loving Jesus is not about our goodness gives us a better appreciation of God's grace, because, eventually, we will all fall in one area or another. But, when we move past a selfish faith- a faith that is only motivated by what we can get for our lives, we become humbled in the fact that we must keep our eyes, our hearts and our lives focused on Jesus. The mission is not to receive blessings, opportunities and prosperity for ourselves; our highest mission is to show the world what Love really looks like. And His name is Jesus!
Every rose has it's thorns, but that does not disqualify its beauty! We must persevere through our blessings and in our pains (and there will be many hard times), but we don't have to be afraid of our struggles or temptations, because we know that all things will work together for our good, if we only keep our focus on the Lord! (Romans 8:28). This is where our Joy comes from! Knowing that in my victory, I am encouraged, but in my weakness, God gives me His strength! Either way, we win! But, we must lay aside those things that will hinder and distract us, and
we must be sensitive to the lives that surround us- using us as their examples in the faith and looking to us as models for Christ.

Living as Christ is not a natural way of life- this is why we rely on His Holy Spirit to give us the strength and love that we need to be successful! So don't worry, God has it all under control! When you fall, confess your mess and keeping pressing on! Don't get distracted by trying to be good and don't allow your temptations to steal your confidence in Christ!!! Focus on God's love for you and let that be your motivation and your focus. I promise, it will fill your heart and spill over into the lives of those around you!
  

Be encouraged!

~Pearls

The Greatest Commandment

If love is free, then why is it so hard to give? If love is so necessary, then why do we struggle to show it?

During our study of Crazy Love, we are being challenged with questions such as these, but not just in the pages of the book. We are experiencing it in our lives. We are being challenged by unkind co-workers, family members that have hurt us in the past, friendships that have created unfair accusations and relationships that have produced disappointments; sometimes, we even struggle with loving ourselves.

For me, I know that a topic is necessary when not only life produces opportunities to practice the topic, but also when the Holy Spirit presses upon the heart of our ministers to expound even further on the topic. God is moving and flowing in our Bible study and He has allowed situations of life to show up in our midst, to challenge us to not just discuss truth, but to practice and live it out!

Yesterday, apart of the sermon that I received in church expounded on the woman with the alabaster box (Luke 7:47). In these verses of scripture, Jesus exclaims that in order to love much, we must understand how tremendously we have been forgiven. "A person who has been forgiven little shows only a little love". In other words, Love reflects forgiveness. If I feel as if I'm not "that bad", or if I dwell on always being a victim... if I feel as if I've done nothing wrong, if I cannot see past my own circumstances and not accept the reality that ALL HAVE SINNED, then it is difficult for me to show compassion and mercy on others. How can I love those who are imperfect if I do not identify myself with imperfection? Jesus explains that this is not possible.

As Believers in Christ, we must understand that all sin requires forgiveness and that forgiveness is the ultimate act of love. Jesus forgave my sin because of His great love for me, I must forgive others because of my great love for Christ. In his book, Francis Chan goes to explain that loving people can be very difficult, because it goes against our human nature, so we must pray that God equips us with Love for others.

In the Gospels, Jesus declares that the greatest commandment is to Love God with all that we have and all that we are, and then to Love others. Why is this the greatest commandment? It's because is the most difficult and most selfless act of obedience. Loving God and loving others is the most powerful act of dying to self. As Children of God, we must extend great love to others because God has extended such great love to us. This goes hand in hand... when I love God, I can love others, When I love others, I am loving God. If this were easy, it wouldn't be the greatest commandment. But thank God we have a helper... the Holy Spirit, who gives us the strength that we need to accomplish all things, for the glory of God, through His son, Christ Jesus!

Go out and love, my sisters!
~Pearls

God Misses You!

Relationships are so important aren't they? As humans, we sometimes tend to measure our existance by them. We are sisters, daughters, friends, co-workers, wives, girlfriends, best friends, cousins and aunts. We wear so many hats with so many different relationship labels on them, and each have their

special place in our lives; each require a certain measure of investment. In order to preserve or to create a relationship, it requires our time, attention and a portion of vulnerablility an openness on our part. We can't expect to maintain friendships if we never share personal thoughts or feelings. We can't 

claim to be close to our siblings and families if we never communicate with them or extend ourselves to them on a regular basis. Our boyfriends and spouses would not feel close to us if we never trusted them with our secrets and co-workers would retreat from us if we operated in distance on our 9-to-5's. Yes, Relationships require openness and availability. Think about the one person in your life that you simply cannot live without! Are they in your mind? Great...Now, think about how you might feel if

that one person never called you, never accepted an invitation from you, never extended an invitation to spend time with you, always had other plans, promised to hang out with you, then always cancelled or worse, came by to see you in a rush to leave. How would that make you feel? 

In our Christian lives, as unbelievable as it might seem, we tend to treat someone very special in that exact same way: We rush our visits and conversations; we make promises to spend time and then cancel; we ignore His calling or make excuses as to why now is not a good time and we even consider Him to be an option and not a priority. For those of us who are married, if our spouses treated us in such a way, or if our BFF did any of those things on a consistent basis, we would be irate!!! We would be so upset and hurt and let down... yet we often treat our Savior in this way throughout our day, our weeks and even throughout the course of our lives. We do not always give Him the quality time that He deserves. 

As Believers, it is our privilege to spend time with God- knowing that it is time spent with His spirit that makes a difference in our lives and moves upon our hearts to please the Father, through Jesus! Yet, our hectic lives and demand from this world can consume our every second of our time, if we let it. So then, what are we to do? Should we just accept the fact that we do not have time for God- the God who invented time for us? Should we make excuses and hope that He will understand? I think we all know the answer to that is, "no". Of course not! Our God is more precious than that and should take precedence in our lives, inspire of the schedules, the dates, the careers and the "me" time. He deserve our very best in each day that He offers to us because each and every day, He has blessed us with His best!

"My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him."
~Psalm 62:5

This scripture gives me peace in my soul and helps me to separate the truth from the demands of life. I want my continued desire to be for my God; not just His blessings, but also His presence in my life. Yes, God has given us a life to live, but He's also given us time to spend with Him. Each day, there are moments that we can set aside to share with our Lord, yet we do not always take advantage of them. We thank Him for our days, yet He might not receive an invitation from us to be apart of it. We ask Him for more things, yet His true desire is that we just want more of Him! He promises to never leave us or forsake us, but have we given Him that same promise in return?

Our God misses us! Let's remember to spend time with Him, every day. He's done so much for us already, what more could we ever need outside of His blessings of life and Jesus? This week, let's all commit to daily prayer and scripture meditation. Let's remember to thank the Lord for our job and not complain about it. Let's lift up a friend, instead of gossiping about them. Let's be joyful in giving, instead of grudgingly holding on. Let's tell our savior "Good Morning" each new day, and share His love with someone who needs the reminder!
Jobs are important, but our Lord is more so. Hanging out with friends is essential, but our Lord is more so. Planning our next move, our next vacation, our next party or our next date is dire, but giving our hearts and our time to God is even more so. Let's stop letting things get in the way of the most important relationship we could ever have. Lets open our hearts to anticipate spending time with our Savior who loves us so much! He is waiting for an invitation from us to become a regular part of our existence, not just our moment-by-moment or day-to-day.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person (spend time), and they with me." -Revelation 3:20

Time is precious and cannot be replaced. I want to spend mine on pleasing Jesus, don't you? Let's take this challenge together! Let's live a life that shows the Lord how much we love Him and include Him, every step of the way!

~Pearls

Like Her Father

Today marks one month since my daughter has been born. It's honestly taken me these past 31 days to analyze, understand and put into words my feelings regarding this amazing miracle. It's incredible to me that, for 268 days, I carried a human being in my body. Oh... how I remember those heavy feelings of discomfort, how my food used to taste like spoons, how putting on a pair of pants was a true accomplishment and all the tears I cried over ice cream and the Disney movie, Mulan! (I could not get enough of that movie!!!)

All in all, my pregnancy was smooth sailing. I didn't get one single stretch mark, I only gained 29 pounds, my husband treated me like a dream and I was able to celebrate with all my dear ones. My hair did not fall out, I didn't get any acne and I can still fit into my original jeans and shoe size! It was a wonderful pregnancy... but a ferocious delivery.
The day she came, it was like a vengeance and during it all, I had to remind myself that my child had purpose and that God would not abandon us now; which He didn't. So, on September 4, 2015, my lovely little lady emerged into the world, with a cry that sounded more like a song; and in that moment of her arrival, I was reminded of all my prayers and hopes for her. My husband kissed me and we gave thanks!

Since that time, I have watched my darling daughter grow. I have entertained countless family and friends who have "oohed" and "awed" over her, and most times, I felt super proud; but I must admit, for the sake of this article and for my efforts of being vulnerable with you all, there were times where a certain comment really got on my nerves: "Oh, she looks just like her Daddy".
"Oh, Katrina, you had nothing to do with this baby did you?"
"Oh, that little girl looks nothing like you!"
"Maybe the next baby will look like, Mommy, cuz this little baby looks just like her Daddy".

Can I vent?.....

Ok, I carried her for 9 months!!!!! My body got big and uncomfortable. I had to go on medication for minor complications that were scary, no less... I was hospitalized. I had to endure an emergency C-section... where is my recognition... WHY Doesn't MY BABY LOOK LIKE ME?????

I remember one afternoon, while she was finally asleep for her nap, I cried out of exhaustion and asked God, "why"? I really did. Imagine... my pride was so large and my ego and vanity so high in the clouds that I actually had the nerve to question God regarding her looks. Never mind her health or her existence, right? I was so wrong in being so upset about her looks, but like the loving Father our God truly is, He gently taught me a lesson in that moment.

"Katrina", the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, "she looks like her father, because that is how she is suppose to look". And like a light, the profoundness of that truth overwhelmed me and I thanked the Lord for loving me enough to teach me such an impeccable lesson.
See, we are all children of God. Our purpose is to please Him, love like Him and reach others for His

kingdom. In so doing, we begin to look like our Heavenly Father. When I operate in the fullness of my Faith, I look like my Father. When I love, despite being hurt, and live in obedience, no matter how difficult... I look like my Father. When I forgive and pray, when I encourage others and stand up for what is right, I look more and more like my Father. That is the goal and the purpose of each of our individual lives... to look like our Heavenly Father!

Regardless of what we are facing or what we are going through, we must all resolve in our heart of hearts that, if we are to live a life of true meaning, we must choose to reflect the Lord and His goodness, His holiness and His justice towards others. We should all aspire to love like Jesus, live like Jesus and immitate Jesus; by doing so, we begin to resemble the Father and all glory will go to Him, because He has brought us all a mighty long way and wants to use us to reach others of whom He wants to bless as well.
It's easy to recognize this in our prosperous moments, when things are going our way, we naturally want to operate like Jesus and reflect the Father. But, I am realizing that in our storms, in our surgeries, in our dissapointments  and in our discomfort... these are the moments where He wants us to look like Him even more! It seems impossible, but in our weakness He is strong, and has anointed us all, though Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to be the lights in this dark world, reflecting His image and proclaiming His love to everyone we meet and in any situation we may find ourselves in.

In a split second, the Lord convicted my heart and taught me the importance of looking like my Father. Now, when people gasp at how much my baby looks like my husband, I smile and say thank you. Yes, she looks just like her Daddy and one day, through prayer and our commitment to raise her
in the grace of God, she will begin to live a life that will reflect Christ and cause her to look just like her Heavenly Father as well. I pray that I look like the Father , too! I pray that all of our lives will begin to be lived out in efforts to reflect His unfailing love, His beautiful nature and His faithfulness.

When we look like the Father, we look Beautiful!
~Pearls

The Conditions of Our Hearts

We are inundated with choosing one thing over the other. In an average day, choices need to be made and I believe it's our truest character that truly wants to put a good foot forward; to treat others the way we want to be treated and to show goodness and kindness towards everyone. These are the intentions that we begin our days with...But, what happens when the chaos of the day takes its toll on us and we no longer want to treat others fairly? What are we to do when turning the other cheek only feels good in theory? Or when you'd rather pamper yourself instead of offering kindness to others? What happens when you don't want to read your Bible or drive 20 minutes for another Church event? What about when you don't want to pray anymore or when you are sick of Christian platitudes? What happens when your gut feeling tells you to do the exact opposite of everything you know is pleasing to the Lord or when you the thought of giving one more hug or making one more apology leaves you irritated and annoyed? Believe, there comes a time in each of our days when we'd rather just take care of us. We don't always feel like taking the high road and our hearts are often satisfied with "doing good unto me". It's human. It's natural. But, I'll tell you what should happen, instead... in those moments when we are exhausted of doing the right thing, there we find the life changing opportunity to live out obedience and faith, as a result of abiding in Christ.

See, in our mistaken culture, we are taught to go with what we feel. Music tells us to follow our

hearts and live in the moment.  Books and articles tell us to lean into our intuition or intellects and our friends and co-workers advise us to do whatever it is that makes us happy. We have been conditioned to consider "us" first and to please ourselves. This is contrary to scripture, yet, to our own defense, it all makes a lot of sense to live life that way!  It is the nature of man... to put us first; however, that will never fulfill our Spirits. Being self-centered is selfish and blocks others out, including the Lord. When we are lead by the flesh (that natural instinct that we innately respond to) our decisions will reflect the flesh. We will lie to help ourselves, give in to immoral desires to feed our cravings, we will fall prey to greed and self satisfaction, abandon the need to practice patience or cheat to get ahead. These are the natural responses to our humanity and the condition of our true hearts. The reality is that, without Christ, the compass of our hearts are a little broken and we cannot trust its direction 100% of the time.

When we are faced with those moments where decisions need to be made and action needs to take place- basically every moment of our day- whatever is in us will come out of us. Scripture says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). Essentially, this scripture is explaining to us that we as humans are capable of doing any deed when placed in certain circumstances or situations. No one's heart is above any sin or crime. This is why, as a true and humble Christian, we must have compassion on everyone who wrestles or struggles with any sin, because no one's heart is above any mistake. I am just as prone to murder as the murderer; I am just as prone to adultery as the adulterer and I am just as prone to addiction as the addict. All that is required is the right situation, circumstances and opportunities, and if not rooted in Christ and filled with Him, then we will all fall, over and over again.

Whatever we pour into our hearts is what will come out. If I pour natural wisdom into my heart, if I fill myself with understandings of this world, popular culture and it's opinions, invest in the entertainment that challenges the standards of Christ or if I lean too heavily on my own way and prioritize my personal freedoms, then the actions of my heart will reflect such. But if I am filling my heart with God's word, surrounding myself in environments and activities that are pleasing to Him- if I am filling my life with worship and consuming the wisdom of Christ, then my actions and choices will be reflecting of Him. The key to living a victorious life is abiding in Jesus! I'm not saying that living for the Lord is "easy" or that making spiritual and effective decisions for Jesus comes without a struggle, but what I am saying is that too many of us are putting up a harder fight in our faith because we are not using the appropriate tools. Following our hearts is a 50/50 chance, that we cannot put total trust in. Looking inward, and not upward results in us losing our way and mistakenly making choices that we never intended to make. We are not praying, we are gossiping. We are not reading our Word, we are watching compromising TV dramas and listening to music that is less than glorifying. We are reading magazines that support our flesh, instead of searching the scripture for ourselves. We are entertaining relationships that are pulling us away from the Lord, instead of encouraging us to pursue Him more. So, when it comes time to stand in the fire or when it comes time to make a choice for Jesus, whatever we are putting in us will always be what comes out.

Instead of following our hearts, that may or may not lead us astray, the more successful strategy is to follow Christ- who will never steer us wrong! Living for us only limits us. Our purpose is above mini-skirts and TV dramas. Our lives are beloved by God and His calling over us is intended to flash His glory and overcome the powers of evil in every area of our lives! Sisters, hear me out: You are precious in His sight! Your existence supersedes that of the label that this culture is trying to place on you or the mindset that our world is trying to produce in you! Stand tall in the light of the Love of our Savior! You have been chosen to be a beacon in this dark world! You have been called to live a life that is called out. When others are tripping in the dark, Christ has blessed you with His salvation to offer a lamp to those who are falling! But in order to be effective Christians for Christ, we have to live out our faith, not just talk about it. We have to prove it everyday, with the way we live, the conversations we partake in and the relationships and activities we invest in. If we truly belong to Christ, we must constantly abide in Him and put our faith in him, and not ourselves. In so doing, we are better equipped to set the example for those who are watching us, proving our faith is legitimate and true!
This is a call to remind us all that we are living for something and Someone greater! Our hearts suggest only temporary resolutions, providing minimal satisfaction that we may or may not regret afterwards. Abiding in Christ and living for the Lord is a guaranteed measure for peace and confidence on a daily basis. If we keep our eyes and heart on Him, then He will fill us and use us for His glory! He will prove to the world, through us, that He is all that they need!

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
-John 15:4-5

Let's live a life of Faith that Proves the Love of Christ!

~Pearls

The Beauty of Rejection

It's 1:56 in the morning currently and I am tossing in bed. I tried so hard to get myself back to sleep, but I keep having these thoughts...which turned into frustrations, which turned into a heartfelt prayer to the Lord... "God, today I tried to start a conversation with... It was completely awkward and it was obvious that they had no interest in talking to me. I'm tired of reaching out to that person! I don't want to do it any more... I'm done!" (Amen). lol.

I think sometimes, in our walk with Jesus, we each have the best of intentions for others who God has placed on our hearts. In our minds, we think, as long as we are kind and loving and reach out, they will reciprocate those efforts and appreciate them. But the truth is, you can't make someone love you, even if your motives are pure. Sometimes, that person who you are trying to witness to will reject you. Sometimes, it's awkward, because you try so hard to show them Jesus. Sometimes, they just plain won't be interested in what you have to offer, and that can really hurt! Part of the frustration is that when we do something for others in a genuine spirit and it is not appreciated, we feel personally

wronged and if we don't deal with those feelings of rejection or hurt (meaning if we don't forgive them) then we ourselves begin to operate in sin against God, who constantly forgives us, over and over and over again. See, when we love like Jesus, we must actually put on the heart of Jesus, who has no time frame, no criteria and not ultimatums. He is always patient with us and asks us, time and time again to love others the way He does;  regardless of the other person's actions or responses. That's how He loves us; so that is how we must love others.

Colossians 3: 12-15 states, "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another...And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..."

Let's break portions of this scripture down, shall we? On the surface, it seems like a sweet little advice for daily living, but it is so much deeper than that. First, we see that Paul is calling us to acquire a God-like heart and attitude of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. That in itself is a mouth full and one of the most difficult challenges of being an effective Christian, because it requires us to deny us!

Compassion, according to the dictionary, means to be concerned for the affairs of others. How easy that is when the one you extend this expression to is just as concerned for you, but what about those who don't seem to be moved by your efforts? What about that co-worker who seems too obsessed with their career to get to know you? Or that family member who always acts annoyed when you walk into the room? Showing compassion can be easy at first, because we expect it to be received well, but what happens when it's not? Do we give up (the way I really want to right now)? No! We are called, by God, to wear compassionate hearts and there are no exceptions to that request. 

Compassion is not possible without kindness and kindness puts us in vulnerable places which ushers in the need for humility and meekness. To be humble is to put someone first. To be meek is to be yielding. I for one hate to be yielding. I hate to feel as if I am being stepped on. I hate to feel as if I am being taken for granted; yet scripture demands it. 

In our natural ways of thinking, "You scratch my back and I scratch yours" makes so much sense! It's comfortable, because you know there is a guarantee that you will get something out of the deal. But this verse in Colossians expects us to expect nothing in return! As we learn to love like Jesus, we have to develop the maturity to recognize that not everyone will love us back (John 15:18), not everyone will appreciate us and not everyone will desire a relationship with us. It's just the facts. Sometimes, its intimidation: people see a strong Christian woman and compare themselves... feeling inferior because they recognize the standard to which you live by is higher than theirs. Sometimes, its envy: people will assume that you think you are better then they are because you live without compromise and so, instead of them dealing with their own sin, they reject you because you have renounced sin in your life. Sometimes, it's feelings of unworthiness: they might consider themselves not good enough to associate with you because they see Jesus in you and mistake that for perfection; and sometimes, they just plain won't like you, for no apparent reason at all. Yet, Jesus still requires us to love, anyhow.

When Christ puts someone on your heart to reach out to, realize that it is strategic for your growth and development and it is a spiritual calling. There is beauty in rejection, because it shows us the daily position that Christ allows Himself to be placed in for mankind. He willingly offered Himself to the world, knowing that some would not appreciate Him. He calls us to do the same. 

The natural question will always be: How much is too much? When is enough enough? As I write to you, I am battling theses exact same questions in my heart. "Lord, I've been dealing with this disappointment in reaching out to this person over and over again and it seems to only get worse. I give up! Please don't make me do it any more."... Yet, I know that I cannot give up; not if my goal is to please Jesus. I'm not saying it's easy... Lord knows I'm not saying it's easy! But odds are, we aren't living this Christian life because it's easy. Being a Christian is a daily struggle in so many areas at once. It is a constant battle against our own natural selves, allowing the Love of Christ and the Power of God's Holy Spirit to take over in our hearts and mold us to look like Jesus. Molding is a process and it requires lots of patience and a willing heart.

My heart is so willing!!!!!!!! Isn't yours? Even in the hurt and the frustration and the trying and the efforts and the rejection and the disappointment and the tears and the confusion and the unfairness and the humility, kindness, patience, meekness and compassion, it's my hearts desire to look like Jesus, love like Jesus and live like Jesus. I'm confident to believe that it is your heart's desire as well.

We who profess Christ do so at the risk of being rejected. But we cannot let that fear intimidate us or cause us to give up! We cannot allow ourselves to be discouraged! So, instead of praying for God to make things easier or to give us an out when it comes to loving difficult people, let's start praying that God give us more opportunities to share His love with others. Let's seek God in asking Him to give us a stronger heart that won't give up on "so and so", regardless of the hurt you may feel. In this way, we are being more like Jesus than we may realize. We will be operating with His heart towards someone who doesn't realize how much they need Him, and regardless of their response (whether they begin to come around or push you further and further away) our Heavenly Father will be so pleased and one day, we will hear Him say, "Well done".

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

It seems like an impossible burden I have towards someone whom I know you love. I've tried all I can think of to reach out to this person. I've tried to be kind and loving like you, but sometimes the rejection just seems too heavy for me. Sometimes, I just want to walk away and give up. I get tired of being kind with no response from their end. I get frustrated when my efforts aren't appreciated or received well. But Lord, I know that loving others is not about me; it's about you. Help me to love like you do. Help me to have compassion in my heart and kindness towards those You love! Help me, Lord, to seek opportunities to extend myself in hopes that my love will point them to you. Give me discernment on when to speak and when not to. Teach me to wait on your perfect timing and in the mean time, help me to stay diligent in prayer concerning others. Give me confidence and courage to continue to try. Thank you Lord for loving me and thank you Lord for teaching me to love others. I pray that you will be pleased in everything I say and in everything I do.- Amen

Love them for no reason at all. Love them because Jesus loved them first!

~Pearls

Polished

There is an aura of relaxation and self-preservation connected to the feminine experience of the Nail Salon. It's a place of comfort and refuge from a hectic day at work, or an apparatus of expectation- the middle ground between the ordinary and the fabulous. For most women, there is something pleasurably satisfying about leaving the nail salon with a  fresh mani-pedi. You walked in with dull, chipped, peeling color, only to leave with fresh, clean and shining nails. It's a wonderful feeling. It's a lot like our Spiritual process. Let me explain.

There was once a time when I used to do my own nails. Convinced that I was saving money for other things and reluctant to become dependent on someone else, I casually purchased cheap polishes that averaged around $6 dollars or so. I had an entire collection of vivid colors. I kept my nails trimmed and had cotton balls on hand. I would take my time to touch each finger tip and patiently wait for the coat to dry. The end results were pretty... but sadly, extremely temporary. There were even instances where I had to re-do my nails twice in one day or suffer the "crack-effect", due to my cheapness. So, one day, I decided to stop shopping at Walmart for my nail color. I would, instead, invest in more salon quality nail products. I began to pay the $12 dollar fee for more expensive brands and I even invested in a top coat. The laquer and upgrade in quality really made a difference! It had more of a luster in appearance, maintained it's condition for almost twice the time as the cheaper brands and it seemed to me that I was still able to hold onto my own ability to appease my appearance and control of my wallet. Although there were definitely notable positives to my nail polish upgrade, the higher quality came with some side effects. For one, the wait time for drying took much longer and since I did not have my own nail dryer, often enough I ended up waisting time and product due to reapplication of one finger or another because of smudges, scrapes and demarkations. See, the more expensive polishes require more drying time. It may have appeared to be dry on the outside, but the undercoats were often times still damp, unbeknownst to me. Another side effect was the new fumes. Cheap polish doesn't carry as heavy a smell as more salon quality polishes. It took me a while to get used to whiffs of colored chemicals, which of course was accompanied by the need to use stronger nail polish removers. These side effects obviously didn't chase me away from doing my own nails, but over time, it became a hassle.

Friends of mine would urge me to go to the salon with them. I always would insist, however, that I didn't need to. I knew how to do my own nails. I was saving my time and money... but was I really? Probably not. Considering the time alone that it took to apply, re-apply, remove and apply again due to smears and smudges, chips and cracks, I ended up waisting more money than I actually saved and Lord only know how much time it cost me! But in my mind, I was convinced that I could do it on my own. I remember the first time I stepped foot into a nail salon, I was a skeptic. I honestly had no desire to be there, but after numerous invitations, I finally accompanied my friend Kourtney one day after classes. She wanted me to join in the seat next to her, but I declined. I didn't need someone else to do for me what I thought I could do for myself. I felt self-sufficient, but I watched as she placed her hands into the palms of the lady across from her. They had friendly conversation with each other, as the women stripped away the old color and prepared her hands for the new. The women were friendly and very attentive. They helped my friend choose her color, complimented her on her selection, massaged her hands and feet, shared laughs and stories and within an hour, her nails and toes were done. I was astonished to learn that she was able to keep the same color for 2 weeks! I remember glancing down at my nails, shiny, but already cracking; but that initial visit wasn't enough for me to change my mind. Leaving that nail salon, I felt intrigued because it wasn't just about nails... it was an entire experience that my friend could look forward to. It was an opportunity to be taken care of by professionals who made a job feel like an art. She was well taken care of. I secretly became curious about what that might be like for me.

Occasionally, I would go back to the Salon with Kourt... but only to accompany her. I wouldn't order
any services for myself. Even when a lady once urged me to let her take care of me, I kindly said, "no thank you", but really, I wanted to say, "ok". It did look very relaxing and beneficial, I just wasn't willing to part with my own routine of doing things my way. I didn't need her to do something that I could do for myself; or so I thought. It was honestly years before I got desperate enough to venture into a nail salon on my own. I had finally gotten so frustrated with trying to manage myself in my own hands. My left hand was always shaky, causing my right nails to look a hot mess. Cracks seemed to magically appear, no matter how much of a top coat I would use and chips and smudges were inevitable! The moment I felt satisfied with my own work, something would smudge or I'd accidentally knock my hand on the counter and ruin my hard efforts. After a few days, the polish would chip and loose it's shine. It was a mess! I was frustrated.
The first time I went to get my nails done, I'll never forget it. It was for an interview and I wanted to feel confident. I was nervous because I didn't want to pay a ridiculous fee and I was afraid that it would be a waist of time. I was hesitant to trust a stranger to make me look good. What if she was rude and started to speak a different language around me? What if they didn't have any colors that I liked? What if they were expensive? What if, after all the time and money, my nails still chipped? I had all these doubts in my mind, but I figured I should at least give it a try; why not? As I sat in the warm leather chair and chose my services, I can honestly say, the experience delighted me so much that I regret ever taking so long to try it! the women were friendly, diligent and had loads of suggestions. The woman who helped me was very bubbly and sweet and has never forgotten my name. I've been seeing Mrs. Lee for over 2 years now. She knows all about my career, my favorite colors, my sweet marriage and my pregnancy. I know about her home life in Cambodia, all three of her children, how she and her husband started this business from nothing and we have developed some funny jokes between the two of us. Not to mention, my nails are healthy and strong and always very pristine! For years, I was missing out on such a comforting and enjoyable experience, although I didn't even know it.

Many people, convinced that they can do life by themselves, miss out on the wonderful experience of

knowing Jesus. They think that putting their trust in the Lord is a waist of time. They see their friends or family going to church and reading the Bible, they might even join in on a service every now and then or pray when they need assistance, but in their minds, they have control over their own lives and they really don't feel the need for help from God or anybody else. They might notice things here and there in their lives that aren't up to par, so in their own attempts they try to upgrade themselves, just like I tried to upgrade my polish products. For a while, it seems to do the trick for them. They might go on a non-drinking fast for a couple of weeks, no-sex for the first few dates, they might try to loose weight or try a new hobby, quite a bad habit or change their wardrobe; so many attempts for their own personal self-maintenance, but it's only temporary. On the outside, it may appear that life is good, but underneath their top coat, stuff is still wet and unfinished. Like my nails, the cracks in life eventually begin to surface. They get hit with unexpected events that cause smudges and demarkations in their plans to stay in control. No matter how hard they try and no matter how many different upgrades, changes, investments and alterations they make, it still isn't enough and they begin to question their abilities. Those who have the heart of wisdom eventually come to the understanding that they cannot change their hearts on their own; they cannot maintain the God standard in their own efforts. Others continue to wander, trying this product or that technique, never truly finding satisfaction. We all were once there and I thank God for all the spiritual Kourtneys that aren't afraid to invite us into places of love and offer us the opportunity to experience what it's like to put our lives in the hands of someone who is more capable of governing us than we are.

In our own efforts, we think we are saving ourselves; but truly, we are just waisting time. Going round and round in circles of our own efforts, our control, our abilities and our way only leads to a life lacking in luster and full of chipped frustration. But when we allow ourselves to trust in the Lord, place our faith in His suggestions for our lives, rest ourselves in His ability to color our hearts with His love and relax in the joy of the experience of Salvation, well... that's when we really start to shine!

Ephesians 2:8 tells us that Salvation (being accepted by God) will never happen in our own efforts. Instead, God invites us to come to Him, through Jesus, to experience His love and life changing power that we can never attain on our own. It is a gift, a treasure, a permanent establishment of His presence and His perfection in our lives. No, we will never be perfect. The smudges of our past might always grip our minds, but in Jesus, they don't have the power to grip our lives. He asks us for our chipped hearts and smudged up lives, in exchange for his permanent radiance and eternal coat of glory! Christ calls to each of us, saying:
 "Come, take a seat. Give me your hands...give me your heart...give me your life. I have big plans for you! I have desires to make you shine and radiate in this world and in the next! You don't have to live in frustration any more. I know you are trying to improve yourself. I know you are afraid of letting go of control. You think you have found a short cut, but it only has you running in circles. Let me message your messes out of your life. Let me wash you with the water of my word. Let me give you a new life, one that will not fade away or loose its shine over ime. Let me coat you with my joy, my peace, my confidence and my hope. Let me laugh with you and share my heart with you. I have much to offer you that you could never acquire on your own. Trust me. Give me your hands...give me your heart...give me your life."


He wants so much more than to just change your exterior or the color of your experiences; He wants to change your life and polish your heart! He wants to establish a beauty within you that will not fade or peel away. Will you let Him? I pray that you do! I pray that we all will one day fully understand and experience how Salvation can polish our lives and radiate our existence with the eternal luster that only comes from knowing Jesus!

Trust Him with your hands...with your heart and with your life! I promise, you will not be disappointed.
~Pearls

Children of the Day, by Beth Moore

I'm so excited to begin our newest Bible study, this Tuesday evening! It's called, Children of the Day, by teacher Beth Moore of Living Proof Ministries! This study is on 1&2 Thessalonians and the community of Believers in that ancient time who lived their lives in remembrance of Christ and anticipation for His return. Isn't that not a most beautiful way to live?

In our culture, we pray prayers and regard God when it is convenient, or when we want something. Celebrities cultivate sin for fame, yet feel satisfied with a brief mention of "the Man Upstairs", when rewarded for things that dishonor the Lord. Our government is so quick to remove God, yet run to churches and scriptures when we are faced with a national tragedy. Even we ourselves dismiss His leading, only to need Him when our lives begin to spin out of our illusions of control. So many people speak of God, but how many are truly LIVING for Him, on a daily, moment-to-moment basis?

This is the call for this Bible Study, not to merely mention Christ, but to acknowledge Him in every area of our lives, relying on His Spirit to perfect our hearts and navigate through the moments and mission of our lives, for the glory of God!!!

I am so excited to start on this journey with my friends and fellow sisters in the faith. I pray that we continue to learn so that we can become a blessing for those around us. I hope that any new girls that might come will feel welcomed and experience Jesus through us; but most importantly, I pray that God is pleased!

It's going to be an amazing new year for us, and we cannot wait!!!

~Pearls

Flying High for Jesus

We all have our "Lots" in life. Mine tends to be my consistent exposure to misunderstandings and disappointments with others. Sometimes I wonder, "am I the ONLY one" who is serving Christ with my whole heart? Where are all the other "Christians" who are willing to reject the norms of the culture and live a life that is contrary to popular belief?" Sometimes, we can feel like we're the only ones flying high...sometimes, we can honestly feel as if we're the only one flying at all.

In Daniel, the prophet records his experiences as a young man, where the pleasures of life were surrounding him and free for him to indulge and take part in. There were many young men from his homeland who didn't seem to mind participating in various affairs. But not Daniel. Scripture says that he chose not to "defile himself" (Daniel 1:8).

Those around him probably thought he was so extreme, or not realistic, but Daniel was willing to fly high for God. That is how I want to be. I want to be like Daniel: I want to live a life that is so closely reflectant of Christ, that no one would ever have any questions or any doubts about my commitment to Him. I want to make sure that my choices, my activities and my lifestyle is as far from the middle road as possible. At the end of the day, what does it matter if it's not pleasing Christ? And who do I think that I am to justify certain behaviors that I would not want to include Jesus in?


In our Christian society, people talk a lot about "conviction"; using the term as if to justify their own personal feelings towards one thing or another. But truly, our only conviction, as Christians, should be to live a life, based on scripture, such that others are drawn to Christ. If my choices and lifestyle are contrary to scripture, then my feelings are irrelevant. We must all consider the teachings of Paul, which are lead by the Holy Spirit:

"And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."- Colossians 3:17

So I'd like to ask you this: are your deeds a representative of the Lord Jesus, or are they a representative of the culture, your friends or yourself? And if, indeed, you do have a heart for Christ, whose authority and influence are you navigating your choices by?

I hope we all humble ourselves enough to realize that this life for Jesus is not to be lived on our own terms, but on His. He continues to give us the power, through the Holy Spirit, to stand firm against temptations and activities that do not reflect His name. So the choice boils down to us: are we willing to Fly High for Jesus, even if that means flying all by ourselves? I hope we can all come to a place in our hearts, where we are willing to take such a challenge; just like Daniel. I hope we can all decide that our priority will always be to please our Savior and not our culture or our selves!

Something to think about...

~Pearls

Shine Your Light!

Ok...First, let's start out by screaming a very hearty...  

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!! 

I realize we are late... and many apologies for that. Most of the girls, including myself, had various festivities to engage in, as many of you did, I'm sure.

Did you enjoy the festivals, the cookouts and the crowds? What about the heat waves, the music and the pool? And did I mention the fireworks? How were those? Did they still captivate your attention and leave you with stars in your eyes, like when you were younger?
During my celebrations, I couldn't help but notice the looks on the faces of strangers, as they held their heads back to in full view of the sky, and I caught myself doing the exact same thing! What is it about those fireworks that always causes us to hold our breath with anticipation? It never fails: one color, on explosion one effect after another, calls crowds and crowds of people, young and old, to stop and stare and abandon themselves for even just a few moments. Nothing is so important, during a fireworks display. The "rat race" seems to quiet down, people are filled with a sigh of relief, hope, love, joy, appreciation, even tears can creep up in someone's eyes. It's so magical and awe-inspiring, and I'm left to think... "wow, that's how the world should feel whenever they find themselves around me!".

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus declares that we are the light of the world. In other words, our lives are most definitely on display and should be lived in such a way that we draw attention to our God. My love for others should be neon! My patience and kindness should rocket across the room! My worship and humble spirit should ricochet from within me and God's truth should be splattered across my life for the world to see!

What about you? Consider your life... does the world see Jesus when they see you? Does the world hear Jesus when they talk to you? Can they see exciting, neon outbursts of giving or joy or compassion in your life?  If not, this week would be perfect to allow the Holy Spirit to do mighty works within you. Just ask Him with confidence, because that's exactly what He wants to do! Jesus saved you to put you on display for His glory! The whole world is just standing around, looking and waiting for a fireworks display in me and you... let's give them the best show ever and in the process, God will get all the glory and the praise!!!!

Love and Shine!
~Pearls